Higher Ed Funding - Legislative Update

On Monday, May 10, AAUP Oregon submitted oral and written testimony to the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education in support of SB 5528, the HECC higher education funding bill. AAUP Oregon recommended an appropriation of $900 million. This sum would allow adequate funding of programs and services, such as the Oregon Opportunity Grant and HB 2835, the benefits navigator bill, to better serve students, especially those who are experiencing food and housing insecurity. It would also fully fund the Public University Support Fund. Adequate funding would also likely include funding for SB 551/HB 3007, which provides health care coverage to the state’s 1700 eligible part-time faculty members.

Also, on May 10, the AAUP Government Relations Committee convened a Zoom meeting to develop a list of AAUP’s federal legislative priorities drawn from the principles of the New Deal for Higher Education Campaign. Kaitlyn Vitez, AAUP’s new government relations staff person, will spearhead an outreach effort to lobby U.S. senators and representatives in Congress to support adequate funding of higher education. Lawmakers have introduced three “free college” proposals, including Sen. Sanders and Rep. Jayapal’s College for All, the College Promise Act by several legislators, and President Biden’s American Families Plan, which includes two years of free community college. Congress will likely pass a bill that combines pieces of the three plans. AAUP will lobby lawmakers to include four-year colleges.